Nestlé Makes Easter Egg Packaging 100% Recyclable

Nestlé UK & Ireland has removed all rigid plastic from its Easter egg packaging this year making it 100 percent recyclable.

Easter eggs create an estimated 3,000 tons of waste in the UK each year. The maker of Smarties, Kit Kat and Aero Easter eggs now boasts that it is the first major confectioner to remove plastic packaging from all its eggs – the culmination of a six-year process that is expected to save roughly 726 tons of plastic waste from going to the landfill each year.

The last products to become 100 percent recyclable were the Yorkie Munchies and Kit Kat Easter eggs, which include a branded mug. The 48 tons of plastic used to secure the mug and egg have been replaced with recyclable cardboard certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and a compostable film for the packaging windows, resulting in a 30% reduction in packaging.

In 2011, 100 tons of plastic were removed from packaging across the entire product range.

“Nestlé carefully considers the environmental impact of packaging as an integral part of its product design. Since the early 1990s, we have been reducing the amount of packaging we use through our global source reduction program – eliminating unnecessary packaging and reducing weight while ensuring product quality,” David Rennie, Managing Director, Nestlé Confectionery UK & Ireland, said.

The Easter egg packaging news comes only two weeks after Nestlé UK became the first major confectioner to achieve no artificial colors, flavors and preservatives in any of its products.